Cushioned suspension for vehicles.



W. L. L. PELTZ.

cusmomm SUSPENSION FOR VEHI.,..ES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1912.

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VLQOMZO I s gn CUSHIDNED SUSPENSIDNYOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2c, 1914.

Continuation of application Serial No. 516,072, filed may 22, 1911. Thisapplication filed June 29, 1912.

" Serial No.706,559.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. L. Pnurz, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Selkirk, county of Albany, State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Cushioned Suspension for Vehicles, of whichthe following 1.5 a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the acconr pany'ing drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the vehicle frame, or chassis, showing embodiments of myinvention as attached to the front and rear thereof; Fig. 2 is adetailed elevation of the front suspension shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3is a plan view showing the underside of the front suspension.

This invention relatesto a Suspension for vehicle bodies, beingparticularly adapted for use on motor Vehicles, and provides simplemeans for taking up the force of jolts without using laminated or leafsprings.

Insprings of the ordinary type, pressure between the axle and the bodyis direct and practically vertical. When the pressure of the axle isincreased by a jolt against the ground wheels, the spring is at oncecompressed and much of tlie direct force of the jolt is temporarilyabsorbed. But the pres sure on the spring must also be relieved and asthe leaf spring transmits the force in the same line in which it wasreceived, there is a decided recoil, or secondary action upward againstthe body of the vehicle. It is largely because of this secondary actionthat there is now a demand for shock absorbers, the use of which plainlyshows that a leaf spring is not an ideal suspension device.

In my invent-ion, the pressure between the axle and the body is nottransmitted directly through a spring, but is first resolved into twocomponents, each of which is composed of horizontal and verticalelements, with the horizontal elements the greater. Spring means is usedto cushion the horizontal elements and since the horizontal elements arethe greater, the arms by which the pressure is resolved into itscomponents act with the force of a toggle to compress the spring, sothat it readily yields to any increase of pressure on the axle. For thesame reason the secondary or recoil force of the spring will act againstthe leverage of the toggle so that the recoil will be so slow as to bescarce y noticeable.

To accomplish this result is the primary object of my invention, but, atthe same time, I aim to supply a cushioning means for vehicles that maybe readily adjustable to a varying load and one that may be easilylubricated.

The way in which I carry out my invcntion can best be explained byreference to the zurcompauying drawings. These show two slightlydifferent forms of the device, one of which is adapted to be used on thefront end of an automobile, and the other on the rear end. The two formsof construction are, however, so similar that froman explanation of oneform a skilled mechanic can easily work out the variations which may benecessary to apply my'invcntion to vehicles of various designs, and tothe various points in a single vehicle where it may be necessary toattach the device. I shall therefore describe my invention particularlyas embodied in the front suspension shown, but it is to be understoodthat I do not limit myself to the details of construction hereindescribed.

.ln the preferred embodiment disclosed, I have shown a vehicle framemember 2 of the common beam channel construction, the ends oi. which arebent downwardly to form the customary construction of horn 3, andbeneath which is disposed any preferred form of axle 4:. To the axle ismounted a ground wheel of the usual type. As shown in Fig.-

2, there is pivoted to the born 3 a tension rod 5, the forward end ofwhich is formed into a yoke 6 attached to the end of the horn 3 by meansof a pin 7. This tension rod 5 extends beneath, substantially parallelwith, and spaced :1 short distance from the frame member 2. Slidablymounted upon the ten sion rod 5 and adjacent to and spaced some distancefrom its free end, is a spring scat cap 8, having an integral sleeve 0extending a. short distance forwardly therefrom. This sleeve issubstantially square in cross-section to afford a bearing surface forthe links 10, and has extending from opposite sides thereof bearings 11which may either be made to screw into the sleeve or be made integraltherewith. Upon each of these bearings is pivotally mounted one of apair of parallel links 10, the upper ends of which links straddle thevehicle member 2 and are pivotally connected thereto by means of a pin12. As shown in Fig. 1, the links 10 inforce and augment the lightertoward the axle 4, so as to permit uavement to the rear by said linkswithout :aus-

The

ing the same to move to a dead center.

end 13 or the tension rod. is threaded carries jam nuts 14- hearingagainst as1 seat cap 15. Disposed between me spring scat caps 8 and 15is relatively light cylindi'ical compression spring 16 concentric withthe axis of the tension rod 5 a 5% hearing against each of said seatcaps, within t-his spring 16, andalso CORK, with the tension rod 5, is arelatively heavier spring 17. This inner spring; lies idle he- 'tweenthe two caps and is held loosely in position by means of bosses l8 and19, which extend toward each other from the caps 8 and 15. It will beseen that relative move-- ment betwecnthe two caps will first be taken,up by the lighter spring 16 and, after this 5 ring has been compresseda predetermined. l'stance fired by the nuts i l, the heavier spring 17will be brought into "play to re-, spring, in place of coil springs manyother forms of spring means, as, for example, an air cushion, may beutilized.

Pivotally mounted upon the bearings 11, and straddling the lower ends ofthe links 10, is a square yoke 20, forming the un end of the compressionarm 21 which. e3:- tends downwardly and toward the horn 3 and makesanacute angle with the tension rod 5. As shown in Fig. 3, this arm ispre'l erably made in twoholted together segments in order to simplifyassembling. The lower end of this arm is formed into a yoke 22, whichstraddles and is pivoted to the rolled end 23 of the inverted U shaped.yoke 24%. This yoke in turn straddles and is rigidly mounted on the axle4: belowthe rod 5. The compression arm 21 constitutes one of the legs ofthe triangle shaped suspension, the

other leg of which is formed by a compresslon arm 25, which has itsupper end journaled to the pin? between the bifurcated end 26 of thehorn 3, and which extends downwardly and toward the rear, tcrrninatingin a yoke 27,- siinilar to the yoke 22. This compression arm is pivotedto the forward face of the yoke 24 in a similar manner to that describedin connection with the pivoting of the arm 21 with said yoke. In orderto maintain this triangular suspension in its vertical plane, and, atthe same time, adunit of a relative movement between the several parts,I provide stabilizing device in the form of a connection between thetension rod}; and yoke 24. Gne end of the fiat upper'portion of saidyoke 24' between the vertically disposed depending faces has ere tendingupwardly therefrom and integral therewith a vertically disposed bracket28 aperturcd at 29 to form a bearing for a pin 30. Mounted on the saidpin is one end of In the operation, it will be seen that any jolt on thewheels of the vehicle will be transmitted to the axle thereof, as in thecommon :lorra of vehicle; but instead of the force of the shock beingtransmitted upward to the body of the vehicle, it will he resolved intotwo lateral components extending along the arms 21 and 25. As the rods21 and 25 at an angle greater than 90 axle is to spread apart theirupper ends with considerable leverage in the familiar manncrof a togglejoint, and inasmuch as the rod 25 is pivoted directly. to the framemember 2, all of the motion from this toggle will be transmitted alongthe tension rod 5 and aigainst the sp ngs 16 and 17, Owing to theleverage desdrihsd alcove, these springs will readily compresfi undertheforce of the jolt, lzlut when the jolt has ceased, and the springsseek to re iapandto their normal position, they will be acting againstthe leverage of the toggle and. will therefore ex panel comparativelyslowly. other words, this device changes a short jolt into a slow,upward lift on the body of the vehicle, which will he almostimperceptible. It will also be seen that by this construction there isvery little upward stress tending to distort the horn 3, as is commonwith the laminated spring" suspension, for almost all of the strain onthis device will he taken up by the tension rod 5.

As shown to the left of l, l illustrated a form of suspension adaptshave d for I use in connectionwith the rear wheels of automohilcs, butchanges necessary for this constu tion are so simple that they do notneed to be described.

It is to be understood that my device can be broadly modified in orderto accommodate my new and improved suspension to varying conditions, theessential elements he ing similar to those previously described indetail in the preferred embodiment,

This case is a continuation of ray appliczu tion, Serial No, 616,072,filed March 221.911.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters IPatent:

' 1. In connection with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers connected with said axle, a tension rod directly attached tosaid. frame and pivotally connected with said compression members, theconnection with one of said compression members being such that saidtension rod ma" move endwisc in relation to said coinpression member,and means associated with the tension rod to take up a portion of thethe effect oil the force exerted on the y force shocks exerted on theaxle and,

In connection with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers connected with said axle, a tension rod att-ached to said frameby members short in relation to said compression members, and connectedwith said compression members, the connection with one of saidcompression members being such that said tension rod may move endwise inrelation to said compression member, and means associated with thetension rod to take up a portion of the force of shocks exerted on theaxle and transmitted by said compression members.

3. In connection with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers pivotally connected with said axle, a' tension rod connected tosaid frame and said com-- pression. members, the connection with one ofsaid compression members being such that said tension rod may moveendwise in relation to said compression member, means associated withthe tension rod to take up a portion of the force of shocks exerted onthe axle and transn'iitted by said compression members, and means toprevent undesirable turning of said axle in relation to said compressionmembers.

4. In connection with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers pivotally connected with said axle, a tension rod connected tosaid frame and said conr pression members, the connection with one ofsaid compression members being such that said tension rod may moveendwise in relation to said compression member, means associated withthe tension rod to take up it portion of the force of shocks exerted onthe axle and transmitted by said compression members, and a guide rodpivotally connected to said axle and said tension rod.

5. In connection with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers each pivotally connected at one end with the axle and extendingat an angle with each other toward the frame, means for connccting theother ends of the compression members with the frame, at least one ofsaid compression members being attached to the frame through a linlcshort inrelation to said compression member, and means connecting theupper ends of said compression members to take up a portion of the forceof shocks exerted on the axle and transniitted by said compressionmembers.

6. In connection with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers pivolally connected at one end with the axle and extending at anangle with each other toward the frame, means for connecting the otherends of the compression members with the frame, at least one of saidcompression membcrs being pivoted at a point immovable in relation tosaid frame, and means connecting the upper ends of said com ressionmembers to take up a portion 0 the force of shocks exerted on the axleand transmitted by said compression members.

T. In connect-ion with a vehicle body frame, an axle, two compressionmembers each pivotally connected at one end with the axle and extendingat an angle with each other toward the frame, means for connect-I ingthe other ends of the compression members with the frame, meansconnecting said compression members to take up a portion of the force ofshocks exerted on the axle and transmitted'by said compression members,and means to prevent undesirable turning of said axle in relation tosaid compression members.

WILLIAM L, L. PELTZ. Witnesses G" S. IIANSEN,

L. Bares.

